DIVERSITY AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

The Upward Bound Program is a college preparatory program for disadvantaged high school students attending New Bedford High School, Westport High, and Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. The purpose of the Program is to increase the numbers of low income and potential first generation college students in the target area who will be prepared to go on to higher education. The program is designed to generate the academic skills and motivation necessary for gaining admission to and succeeding in post-secondary education. This mission is achieved by providing instruction, tutoring, counseling, academic and career advisement, and a host of other services to the participants in the Program.

The Program also offers a six-week summer residential component housed on the UMass Dartmouth campus. Students attend classes in English, Math, Science, Computers, and foreign language to prepare them for the upcoming year in high school. Tutoring and other academic support services are provided. Seniors and some juniors are also offered a tuition free college course for which credit may be transferred to the college or university at they matriculate upon graduation from high school.

During the highly structured daily schedule in the summer, students are engaged in a host of other activities such as SAT prep, public speaking, student and youth development sessions, career exploration and orientation, college and scholarship search, recreation and physical fitness, cultural enrichment and other field trips, and other activities. Typically, each year, the Program graduates 15-25 seniors and 90-100% of all Upward Bound graduates go on to enroll in college the following Fall semester.

The Raymond M. Barrows Community Service Book Fund assists disadvantaged students who are unable to pay for essential items such as books and educational supplies. Funds are raised through employee payroll deductions, donations, corporate donations, and alumni donations. Student recipients “pay back” their stipends by performing ten hours of community service during the semester in which the stipend is received.

College Now is an alternative admission program designed to recruit students who are capable of college level work but whose academic achievements have been hampered by social and/or economic obstacles. College Now students receive extra academic assistance and counseling. College Now recruits and enrolls a minimum 50% of the students of color attending UMass Dartmouth. Services are designed to address the needs of this population.

Program services and initiatives include:

• “Steps Toward Abstract Reasoning and Thinking” (START) is a one-year alternative form of admissions program administered through the College Now Program. START enables students to acquire the basic math and science knowledge, as well as learning and reasoning skills, required for technical programs. These programs include any of the engineering majors, computer science, biology, chemistry, mathematics, medical laboratory science, physics, or manufacturing management. The program is open to students who are considering a technical major, but lack the academic preparation necessary for some of the courses in the particular major.
• Freshmen Orientation Course � assists the students in making the transition from high school to college easier.
• Offer financial assistance to promote continuance for their education (i.e., summer/intersession course awards, book awards, scholarships to address school costs).
• Tutorial support through a peer counseling and buddy program.

The Frederick Douglass Unity House (FDUH) has provided students an environment that nourishes the special academic, cultural, informational, and social/communal needs of students, faculty, and staff of color. This center assists students of color and other ethnic/cultural groups to develop their own sense of cultural identity and self awareness while providing the University as a whole with a central area for learning more about other cultures and exchanging information about their own. The FDUH exists to uphold the spirit of its namesake’s vision of universal justice and equality. Accordingly, the Unity House will operate within the University’s vision of access, excellence, innovation, economic development, public service and diversity to promote a quality of life that appropriately intersects with other cultures, heritages and identities. The FDUH fosters a special awareness and appreciation of identities, heritages, and cultures rooted in Africa with members of African Diaspora in a world context through activities, opportunities and programs where the academic and societal needs of students of African descent are interwoven with the University’s vision. All members of the University community, especially students, are encouraged to develop activities that will assist the Unity House to fulfill its goals and mission as well as celebrate diversity at UMass Dartmouth. The FDUH hosts and sponsors a variety of activities and workshops in diversity. Samplings of the initiatives include:

• Students of Color Graduation Banquet � This annual event honors students of color graduating seniors, inviting guest speakers and celebrating with an awards ceremony.
• Black History Month Films and Discussion� The Frederick Douglass Unity House hosts this event twice a week in February.
• Sponsored Native American Awareness Month with guest speakers, movies, and luncheon with Eastern traditional Native foods.
• Created multi-cultural holiday newsletter reflecting variety of cultural beliefs.
• Held discussions, workshops, presentations, movies, cultural nights, poetry readings, read-a-thon and reunion and art exhibit. Each activity was promoted throughout the campus and local community with special initiatives to address cross-cultural and diverse relationships (IE. films with content addressing race & class, presentations on women & racism, presenters from multi-cultural backgrounds).
• Sponsored and promoted “Celebrate Diversity/Make a Difference Week”, April 23-27, to include campus wide initiatives to expand concepts of global and local social justice issues.

The International Student Center serves international students and scholars with support and advice to help make their stay at the University as productive, interesting, and rewarding as possible. The Center provides general advice and assistance with campus life and personal needs. Ongoing support with visas and other immigration forms is available as well as assistance with documentation that international students need while studying at the University. The yearly activities that the center sponsors are the following:

• International Student Orientation � The International Student Center holds this yearly event for all incoming international students. The orientation covers immigration regulations, rights and responsibilities of international students and it gives an overview of on and off campus life, as well as support during the academic year.
• International Women’s Day � Held annually, and co-sponsored with the Women’s Resource Center, celebrates a “global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential.”